Kool & the Gang is an American R&B, soul, and funk band formed in Jersey Ci… Read Full Bio ↴Kool & the Gang is an American R&B, soul, and funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964. Its founding members include brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, Woodrow "Woody" Sparrow, and Ricky Westfield. They have undergone numerous changes in personnel and have explored many musical styles throughout their history, including jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, funk, disco, rock, and pop music. After settling on their name following several changes, the group signed to De-Lite Records and released their debut album, Kool and the Gang (1969).

The band's first taste of mainstream success came with the release of their fourth album Wild and Peaceful (1973), which contained the US top-ten singles "Jungle Boogie" and "Hollywood Swinging". Kool & the Gang subsequently entered a period of decline before they reached a second commercial peak between 1979 and 1986 following their partnership with Brazilian musician and producer Eumir Deodato and the addition of singer James "J.T." Taylor to the lineup. Their most successful albums of this period include Ladies' Night (1979), Celebrate! (1980), and Emergency (1984), their highest selling album with two million copies sold in the US. Their hit singles during this period included "Ladies' Night", the US No. 1 "Celebration", "Get Down on It", "Joanna", "Misled", and "Cherish". The band continues to perform worldwide, including as support for Van Halen in 2012 and their fiftieth-anniversary tour in 2014.

Kool & the Gang have won numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and, in 2006, a Music Business Association Chairman's Award for artistic achievement. As well the band has been inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame and been bestowed with a MOBO Award for Outstanding Achievement, the Soul Train Legend Award, the Marian Anderson Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2007, the band was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. During 2018, the Bells, Brown, and Taylor were also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and received their first-time nomination into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024. Their discography includes 23 studio albums and almost 70 singles. They have sold 7.5 million and 4.5 million RIAA-certified albums and singles, respectively, in the United States. Worldwide, they have sold 70 million albums.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kool_&_the_Gang

Discography
Kool and the Gang (1969)
Music Is the Message (1972)
Good Times (1972)
Wild and Peaceful (1973)
Light of Worlds (1974)
Spirit of the Boogie (1975)
Love & Understanding (1976)
Open Sesame (1976)
The Force (1977)
Everybody's Dancin' (1978)
Ladies' Night (1979)
Celebrate! (1980)
Something Special (1981)
As One (1982)
In the Heart (1983)
Emergency (1984)
Forever (1986)
Sweat (1989)
Unite (1992)
State of Affairs (1996)
Gangland (2001)
The Hits: Reloaded (2004)
Still Kool (2007)
Kool for the Holidays (2013)
Perfect Union (2021)
People Just Wanna Have Fun (2023)

Rhythm and Ride
Kool & The Gang Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Let the music take your mind
Everybody ride the rhythm
Let the music take your mind
Everybody ride the rhythm

Get down and ride the rhythm
Get down and ride the rhythm
Let the music take your mind

Everybody ride the rhythm

Let the music take your mind
Everybody get down and ride
Let the music take your mind
Everybody get down and ride

Let the music take your mind
Everybody get down and ride
Let the music take your mind
Everybody get down and ride

Let the music take your mind
Everybody get down and ride
Let the music take your mind
Everybody get down and ride

Let the music take your mind
Everybody get down and ride

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Kool & the Gang's "Ride the Rhythm" convey a strong message of unity and freedom through music. The repetition of "Let the music take your mind" and "Everybody ride the rhythm" emphasizes the power of music to bring people together and allow them to let go and enjoy themselves.

The phrase "ride the rhythm" suggests a physical response to the music, encouraging listeners to dance and move to the beat. This idea is reinforced with the lines "Get down and ride the rhythm." The repetition of these calls to action creates a sense of momentum and anticipation, urging listeners to fully immerse themselves in the music.

Additionally, the lyrics suggest a sense of escape through the power of music. The phrase "Let the music take your mind" implies a release from everyday concerns and a surrender to the joy of the moment. Overall, "Ride the Rhythm" is an upbeat, energetic song that celebrates the transformative power of music and encourages listeners to join in on the fun.

Line by Line Meaning

Let the music take your mind
Allow the power of the music to stimulate your thoughts and emotions.

Everybody ride the rhythm
All individuals should move and dance to the beat of the music together.

Get down and ride the rhythm
Lower your body and flow with the musical tempo.

Everybody get down and ride
All individuals should bring themselves to a lower physical level and match the music's pulse.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RONALD BELL, ROBERT BELL, DENNIS THOMAS, GEORGE BROWN, CLAYDES SMITH, ROBERT MICKENS, OTHA NASH, RICHARD WESTFIELD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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